Been running 8.09 on OSX 14.7.7 ok. installed 9 and my 3rdpary libraries/fotrprints cannot be found! The path is correct in ‘configure paths’ so why does this not work.?
Very frustrating…
I am using only my own libraries so can only guess what is your problem.
Except path in ‘configure paths’ (I have never used anything there) there is also library list.
At first run (at least in V6,V7,V8) you have to select if you want to use:
- default list - will have only KiCad libraries,
- your list - you will be asked to select library list file,
- empty list (I’m not sure if remember well, but probably third option was this).
Whatever you select you can’t have KiCad current libraries + added by you libraries.
I had noticed this problem when moving to V6, V7, V8.
Don’t you remember having to solve this when changing major KiCad version previously?
There is no need to become frustrated. It does not help your cause.
… / Preferences / Configure Paths Only creates environment variables. It does not add libraries to KiCad. To add footprint libraries to KiCad you have to use the … / Preferences / Manage Footprint Libraries menu.
For managing footprints, read the chapter: 7. Footprints and footprint libraries from the manual.
Additionally: When you are managing the footprint libraries, the results end up in the fp-lib-table file (Either in your project, or in the KiCad configuration directory). And these files are simple human readable text files. If you have a lot of personal libraries, it’s much easier to use a text editor and use copy and paste, or a merge program such as meldmerge.org.
Perhaps I did not explain the issue clearly…
I know how to add libraries and footprints to Kicad, that is fine thank you.
The issue is the reference to already imported and installed 3rd party libriares and footprints seems to have gone.
All the libraries and footprints are still n my 3rd party folder. I have deleted the Kicad v9 application and put v8 back on and my 3rd party libraries are available again. So why is v9 unable to read what is already in place?
You have to tell V9 about your custom libraries . . .
That means that they probably are in V8 library list and are not in V9 library list.
So:
- do you have your libraries in V9 library list and even so they don’t work?
- if you don’t have them there then what happens when you try to add them that you say that they are gone?
The libraries are not in the V9 library list. Does this mean every time I upgrade Kicad I have to manually reimport everything? Why can it not use the preferences that are working for V8?
I believe so . . . but not import, just tell the new version where your libraries are.
Yes that makes sense - except the path is there in the “config paths” but in ‘manage symbol libraries’ the path substitution field does not show the 3rd party path. Again, in V8 this is all correct It seems v9 is not working correctly in this respect.
Only major version change (once a year). May be in some version it will be solved automatically, but probably developers have more important tasks to do.
Didn’t knowing yet about this problem I have decided (with KiCad V4) that I will be using only my libraries (like I was using with previously used Protel 3) and when major number KiCad upgrade I have to do only one thing - I have to tell KiCad were my library lists (not libraries, but library lists) are. Then KiCad takes my lists and uses them with new version.
With new version the new features are added in libraries. Using always old version would mean that we were now using V4 (or earlier) footprints that even not had rounded pad corners if I remember well.
Is it really what you prefer?
Ok… I thought this was the path in ‘config paths’ in V8 if I put a folder /user/work/Kicad/3rdparty in my list of paths and I keep all my own footprints symbols and 3d shapes in this folder. this works perfectly in v8, but somehow v9 does not see this folder for librariies/footprints .
I’m going to stick with v8 for now and not waste my time (or anyone else’s) on this. It’s clearly not working as it should. Thanks to all for the suggestions.
You are missing the entries in the library table itself. You can add them in the Preferences -> Manage Footprint Libraries dialog, or if there are lots of them, copy your custom libraries from ~/.config/kicad/8.0/fp-lib-table to ~/.config/kicad/9.0/fp-lib-table (or the platform equivalent). They are probably at the end.
‘manage symbol libraries’ the path substitution field does not show the 3rd party path
This area shows variables used in the table, which won’t include your 3rd party library path if no libraries using it are in the table. For example ${sdfsdf} isn’t defined in the paths list, but it is used in a table entry, and ${KICAD9_SYMBOL_DIR is defined in the paths configuration, but is obviously not used in the footprint table, so it doesn’t appear:
The label is indeed misleading and, if it’s not removed anyway in the massive (really, it’s a big, big change) ongoing library table rework happening literally right now explicitly to improve this known-bad UX, it should be changed.
It’s not; my changes don’t relate to path substitution variables at all. If you want changes here I suggest opening a separate issue abou tit
Thanks all… So yes its broken 
I’m ok for now with 8.x
this is the dumbest non-issue to throw a hissy fit over. just upgrade and spend 2 minutes fixing your library table.
Apparently you did not read the manual I pointed to.
I don’t care how much of your own time you want to waste, but I do not consider reading the manual a waste of time. But if you read the manual, then you can indeed stop wasting our time.
Not throwing a hissy fit at all.
Thanks again to those of you who offered some practical ideas.
I guess one day upgrades will be automatic+seamless and we won’t need to fix library tables etc.
For me it looks that I am writing about library list and you are writing about path lists (what I don’t know what it is about).
My ‘telling KiCad were my library list are’ had to consist of two steps (probably because of Windows):
- I copied fp-lib-table from KiCad directory into some my TMP directory,
- at first run when selected that I want to use my list and being asked to show it I have selected this list in my TMP directory.
Such solution is because KiCad (I don’t know V9, but V6…V8) opens a file explorer that doesn’t show system/hidden files.
Hi @steeley
For every major Kicad release, ie. 6 to 7 or 7 to 8 or 8 to 9, every Personal Library must be added to its appropriate library list via Manage Libraries in Preferences.
This has always been the case.
Configure Paths can be very useful if you move your Personal Libraries to different locations on your computer. The variable stays the same for each library so the library list does not need editing. Only the path needs to change.
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Unless you have only your libraries in list.
In V4 and V5 I used Manage Libraries to setup my library set. But in V6, V7, V8 I didn’t had to open Manage Libraries at all.